• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 19:34
CEST 01:34
KST 08:34
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
[ASL22] Ro8 Preview: In A Tizzy9[ASL22] Ro16 Preview: Holy Diver5[ASL22] Ro16 Preview: Rough Waters10[ASL22] Ro24 Preview: Siren's Call8[ASL22] Ro24 Preview: Summer's End9
Community News
Weekly Cups (Sep 13-20): herO scores triple2BSL Season 2310Weekly Cups (Sep 7-12): SHIN, ByuN, MaxPax double down1StarCraft open world shooter announced at BlizzCon101Weekly Cups (Aug 30-Sep 7): herO thrives amid growing schism10
StarCraft 2
General
How do you feel about the StarCraft shooter announcement at BlizzCon 2026? Blizzard Classic Cup @ BlizzCon 2026 - $100k prize pool Balance hotfix patch 5.0.16b (July 16) Weekly Cups (Sep 13-20): herO scores triple The Death of Cheese: From a Professional Cheeser
Tourneys
Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament Master Swan Open (Global Bronze-Master 2) Stellar Fest TWO the Moon (Dec 16-20) 2026 GSTL Announcement RSL Revival: Season 6 - Qualifiers and Main Event
Strategy
[H] ZvP Mid-Late Game: Stalkers Collossi HT
Custom Maps
[M] (2) Frigid Storage
External Content
Mutation # 544 Double Trouble The PondCast: SC2 News & Results Mutation # 543 Enhanced Defenses Mutation # 542 The Ascended
Brood War
General
BSL Season 23 Bot on ladder SC4ALL II: Brood War Player Announcement 4/4 screpdb: new Starcraft reporting tool PLAYzone Challenge - open offline tour in Prague
Tourneys
[ASL22] Ro8 Day 2 [IPSL] IPSL is Back With Winter 26-27! PLAYzone Challenge - open offline tour in Prague [ASL22] Ro16 Group D
Strategy
Cliff Jump Revisited (1 in a 1000 strategy) Replay Review Process - What do you do? Simple Questions, Simple Answers Odyssey Mineral Stack Saturation
Other Games
General Games
Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread Nintendo Switch Thread Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne Diablo IV EVE Corporation
Dota 2
Dota 2 Champions League Season 3 Begins April 25! Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
League of Legends
[TL LoL EUW IHs] Teemo shall perish
Heroes of the Storm
Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Deck construction bug
TL Mafia
TL Mafia Community Thread
Community
General
US Politics Mega-thread Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine Russo-Ukrainian War Thread Artificial Intelligence Thread All you football fans (soccer)!
Fan Clubs
MarineLorD Fan Club The Creator Fan Club The ShoWTimE Fan Club
Media & Entertainment
Movie Discussion! [Manga] One Piece Diablo Animated Series on Netflix
Sports
Football (Soccer) Thread
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread
TL Community
Recent Gifted Posts
Blogs
Violent-Cooperative Play and…
TrAiDoS
38 yo Retired SWE loo…
PurE)Rabbit-SF
Can Bots Beat Pros?? Starcr…
namkraft
[meme] I finally understa…
LUCKY_NOOB
Regacy Esports:Our Goa…
regacyesports
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 11635 users

Liquipedia Q&A #2 - Questions! - Page 2

Forum Index > Brood War Strategy
55 CommentsPost a Reply
Prev 1 2 3 Next All
SwEEt[TearS]
Profile Blog Joined January 2009
Canada1575 Posts
November 04 2009 01:09 GMT
#21
as far as map control goes, it is better for Z to trade expos (let P take one and take one for yourself or the complete opposite killing an expo while losing one) or always keep an expo advantage (which inevitably spreads your forces and reduces them)?

also when in mid-game when harassing with your mutas, would it be a better choice to harass undefended or weakly (2-3 cannons) defended expos versus sniping HTs?
#1 arb fan -- Raelcun is Nuclear backwards. Rekrul is Lurker backwards. Grobyc is Cyborg backwards. Eniram is Marine backwards.
Spec
Profile Blog Joined July 2009
Taiwan931 Posts
November 04 2009 02:53 GMT
#22
Question: With the metagame of Starcraft currently stuck on 5H hydra vs FE sair, do you see any change in this trend in the near future? If so, what might trigger the revolution? DA? New Map? Kwanroll?
-Spec
Eye for an eye make the world go blind - Gandhi
Highways
Profile Joined July 2005
Australia6122 Posts
November 04 2009 02:56 GMT
#23
Countering 3 Base Spire into 5 Hatch Hyrda

Do you think 1 base play into quick expansion is a possibility?

This forces zerg to play low eco early on, so when Protoss expands they've already got tech up and Zerg hasnt got a massive economy yet,
#1 Terran hater
n.DieJokes
Profile Blog Joined November 2008
United States3443 Posts
November 04 2009 03:04 GMT
#24
On November 04 2009 08:30 Trozz wrote:
Q1:

If Zerg's mutas die,
And Protoss has no corsairs,
And Zerg went Hydra,

Would it be worth it
For Zerg to rebuild his air?
How does Zerg decide?

Q2:

Protoss's third gas.
Zergs will want to delay this.
Maybe with 12 lings.

If Zerg goes Hydra,
And gets no melee upgrades,
Can lings stall the third?

Because in this game,
Luxury does not get lings.
He keeps with hydra.

Is this a mistake?
Are lings not cost effective?
(Without the upgrades.)

You're fucking amazing, I'm in awe
MyLove + Your Love= Supa Love
Rainbow
Profile Blog Joined December 2008
United States249 Posts
November 04 2009 04:48 GMT
#25
Is the next step of Protoss versus Zerg one base play like corsair DT or corsair Reaver?
I saw the corsair Reaver where the map was LT, the players spawned on the left side. Short distance let the P bring 4 zealots into zerg base, might be able to do enough damage to expand and then macro, tech is already up (robo tech for reaver/zealot drop build, templar tech for DT build)

I don't play any z or p, just curious
neobowman
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
Canada3324 Posts
November 04 2009 04:50 GMT
#26
What is your opinion of 5 hatch hydra with a delayed lair and spire? Basically the build in Ahzz's Zerg guide. Instead of scourge to kill corsairs, you use hydralisks. Discussion has revealed a few weaknesses but I want to see the better player's thoughts on this.

Build basically goes like:
Pump mass drones and 6 lings and make 3rd hatchery at standard timing. Make hatcheries when money allows until you have 5. Then get gas at your natural and main, first 50 gas = hydra den, then next 100 = lair. Pumping drones all the while until you have your hydra den up.
Kyadytim
Profile Joined March 2009
United States886 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-11-04 05:07:03
November 04 2009 05:04 GMT
#27
One somewhat complicated question.

First, a little context:
Lately, I've been having some success with this build, specifically a modification of the 2 stargate follow-up variant that doesn't cut probes as severely. When I don't screw up by missing a pylon or forgetting to upgrade Zealot speed, it seems to kill 5 hatch hydra builds almost every time, because they have no defense. When it fails to be an instant kill, the Zerg players seem to be cutting their drone production early to start hydras, and I can move into the late-game in generally good position.

So, my question:
Is the current metagame that favors passive Protoss players who don't really move out onto the map until they have a number of templar with psi storm contributing to the success of the 5-hatch hydra?

To clarify, if more Protoss used aggressive timing attacks that aimed to hit before the Zerg want to ideally start hydralisk production or make their switch to mutalisks for templar sniping, is it possible that the metagame would shift enough to make the more passive Protoss builds more viable because Zerg will have to slow down their own economy when playing standard to be safe against these timing attacks?

To rephrase it to look at the causes side of the theme, have Protoss players brought this situation on themselves by continually shifting to more and more passive play with later and later pushes in reaction to new Zerg developments?
JFKWT
Profile Blog Joined December 2008
Singapore1442 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-11-04 06:36:20
November 04 2009 06:32 GMT
#28
On November 04 2009 05:13 Oystein wrote:
Show nested quote +
On November 04 2009 03:59 JFKWT wrote:
Sweet banner =D

and it would be nice to include by.Hero vs Bisu on Tau Cross where hero goes almost pure hydralurk and macros like crazy on lair tech.

Don`t he open like 4hatch before gas or something that game, at least using a different build than the 3hatch->5hatch but ending up with the same kind of infrastructure in the end? Or am I mistaken?

Are such variations counted in the build?
edit: Someone above asked about staying on hydras before spire, dunno if thats counted as a 3hat spire 5hat hydra build

and when's this gonna happen sry??
The calm before the storm / "loli is not a crime, but meganekko is the way to go!"
youlijp
Profile Joined February 2009
Brazil112 Posts
November 04 2009 06:52 GMT
#29
question:

zerg is planning to go 3 hatch spire into 5 hatch hydra, but he scouts protoss's base and sees that he is not fast expanding. Protoss blocks his choke with 2 zealots, and negates overlord scouting with one dragoon. zerg then expects 1 base into fast reaver. what deviations should zerg do regarding build order?
"I hate quotations" - Chang E. I.
stevethemacguy
Profile Joined September 2008
United States137 Posts
November 04 2009 07:40 GMT
#30
Q1: As High Templar sniping has become more effective, we've seen some Protoss players counter by using Dark Archons (Maelstorm), adding more dragoons/archons, and trying other "strange strategies (e.g. Backho's DTs). Do any of these "anti-Muta" options help re-balance PvZ, or should Protoss be completely rethinking the match-up?

Q2: Are Corsair-Reaver builds a good option for stopping the 3-hatch spire into 5-hatch Hydra build? If so, why haven't we seen them used more.

Q3: Should protoss be using more Corsairs in general against Zerg?
"What we do in life, echoes in eternity" -maximus decimus meridius
Emon_
Profile Blog Joined November 2009
3925 Posts
November 04 2009 08:00 GMT
#31
Question What do you guys think about disruption web w/ heavy dragoon force as a defense against mass hydra? "Disruption Web prevents units from firing OUT of the web but doesn't prevent units from firing INTO the web" (classic.battle.net). Sounds like a good way to neutralize Hydras with ranged protoss units (carrier/dragoon) on maps that have a narrow choke to defend at the second expansion (like Heartbreak ridge). The tech is there, so maybe this could continue into a corsair/carrier build. Is this a realistic option?
"I know that human beings and fish can coexist peacefully" -GWB ||
NguN
Profile Joined August 2009
Australia1322 Posts
November 04 2009 14:02 GMT
#32
Question: Is it feasible to continue pumping the corsair production to prevent Muta sniping? Most Protoss stop after 2 Corsairs. Is this a possible way to prevent the mutas killing all the high templars, or will there be too much of a gas deficiency to produce HT?

Also, somebody posted about making the 3rd a mineral only. Would this balance ZvP, and how would it affect PvT and ZvT?
Iplaythings
Profile Blog Joined August 2009
Denmark9110 Posts
November 04 2009 17:44 GMT
#33
Question: Should Protoss do much less forge FE into sair DT or sair reaver because it is so predictable? If a protoss did a classic 2 gate rush more often and found a better way to denie the zerg scouting. To me this seems as a solution I just can't figure how to denie the scouting.
Question: I like to do sair / reaver into carriers on Destination (with disruption to prevent hydra busts). Are there any specific counter build I should watch out for?
In the woods, there lurks..
538
Profile Blog Joined November 2008
Hungary3932 Posts
November 04 2009 19:07 GMT
#34
lol, Trozz must be really interested in this if he made so many haikus + Show Spoiler +
Rock on man

My question: on his stream, I very often saw (Z)ret pick different (but all macro based) lurker builds instead of this muta into hydralisk strategy. Seeing as ret is the top contender for the best foreign ZvP title: what may be his reasons for this?
Maybe he finds some apm bottleneck in the muta-snipe based mass army control that isnt present in the lurker builds? Is it that the muta stack is more prone to smaller errors in execution due to the possible bursts in damage? (see Luxury vs Guemchi on HBR, or refer to the DA/maelstrom metagame switch discussion in the strategy forum)
Or (my guess) is it simply because the 3 base spire into 5 hatch hydra is such a dominant build in this matchup lately that most Protosses simply expect it, and the zealot/archon-heavy army is more susceptible to lurkers (and observer snipes)? (even at his high level, I often saw Protoss almost blindly picking such builds)

(little sidetrack: Is this preceived smaller exposure to main zerg tech switches the reason for the seeming emergence of earlier goon-templar transitions? (Lately I often find that protosses dont aim for reaching the "old" number (10-14) of zealots, and often move out with a lot fewer, and with speed upgrades only, in order to surely avoid the mutalisks and the mass hydras both, and to delay zerg harassment.) Is Calm's lategame mass crackling transition/harass (twice versus BackHo recently) abusing the structure of goon-templar play, or just the presumed lacks in preparation and multitasking of his opponents?)

In general, what are this build's advantages over lurker/contain builds, and vice versa?

An other, shorter, but more general one: What can Protoss do to remain cost-effective in the matchup with all the zerg possibilities in tech switches, and critical structural counters (like the templar snipes of the discussed build) versus most protoss builds, if the mass-effect of a protoss army is negated by the forced macro game and the superior mobility of zerg? Are we going to see a revival of 1-base openings?
BW fighting!
Hasudk
Profile Joined October 2009
Denmark78 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-11-04 20:37:19
November 04 2009 20:32 GMT
#35
May I recommend a game to watch. I think the toss build in this game has some potential to counter modern zerg: first spoiler is the explanation, second spoiler should be the VOD.

+ Show Spoiler +

The build:
Fast two-gate into expansion, walling off your expo with the gates and pylons and filling the holes with probes and zealots to prevent runbys. Then using the remaining, but still fairly early zealots (compared to standard forge-first fast expand build) to either prevent the zerg from taking a third or from building drones to utilize it, if its already up.

This build is probably going to be hard to pull of and it totally backfires in this game, but remember that to succeed with a standard forge-first fast expand you need
- perfect timing
- good scouting
- perfect building placement
- fast reactions with your probes if the zerg attempts a run by.

This build needs:
- perfect building placement
- very good zealot micro
- probably also perfect timing.

But if you can do all of that then it seems like it can provide:
- a fairly early and well-protected expo so you dont loose the economic game.
- a fairly early army of zealot that can prevent the zerg getting or utilizing his second expo, thereby preventing him from doing a real 5-hatch hydra.
You also avoid what I see as being the major problem with forge first: that you are left with almost no early game army and therefor almost no change to prevent the zerg going 5 hatch-hydra, which then pwns the canons at your expo. You do forge first for the economic advantage but is left playing defensively for a long time, because of the threat of a hydra attack.



+ Show Spoiler +
Chameleon
Profile Blog Joined January 2008
United States604 Posts
November 04 2009 20:54 GMT
#36
should protoss players try to maintian a group of 4-6 corsair in their arsenal at all times to dissuade/prevent the production of mutas, or is this too costly/ineffective against a zerg with a large hydra army?
TL's #1 Horang2 fan
Geo.Rion
Profile Blog Joined October 2008
7377 Posts
November 04 2009 21:09 GMT
#37
Could you reflect on the nerdrage going on about how "imba" zerg is? Idk, tell if you think it's imbalanced or not, or why would it seem so....
"Protoss is a joke" Liquid`Jinro Okt.1. 2011
GHOSTCLAW
Profile Blog Joined February 2008
United States17042 Posts
November 05 2009 01:33 GMT
#38
On November 04 2009 09:51 da_head wrote:
when is this happening?


It's in the news post, located here: http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=104968&currentpage=last


Monday, 9th of November, 3.00 KST
Sunday, 8th of November, 19.00 CET
Sunday, 8th of November, 10.00 PST
PhotographerLiquipedia. Drop me a pm if you've got questions/need help.
o3.power91
Profile Blog Joined November 2007
Bahrain5288 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-11-05 14:52:55
November 05 2009 03:39 GMT
#39
I'll just say this, I no longer believe Zerg is imbalanced. I just believe they are confusing to deal with. The fact that there is a lack of good Ps and an influx of good Zs doesn't really help show this imo. PvZ has always been my favorite MU .

Question 1:
I notice a lot of Zergs after going for the 3 base spire into 5 hatch hydra build get a late group of Mutalisks to snipe High Templars in order to just roll the Protoss with Hydralisks. What is the most efficient way for Protoss to defend against these Mutalisks?

Here a couple of possible answers I am not sure of:
+ Show Spoiler +
One method I've tried using is getting 4 extra corsairs after my initial sair and use those to fight the mutalisks. My problem with this is that if the Zerg sees my sair count, he just sticks to a ground army and rolls me due to my lack of High Templars (IE: I cut HTs to build sairs in order to defend non-existent/remaining HTs against Mutas. Mutas don't come. I lose HT production and have useless sairs). Needless to say, I don't use this anymore although I'm not sure if it can work.

One method I've seen some progamers (Violet vs Shine) try, is get a Dark Archon to maelstrom the Mutalisks. Personally, I've never tried this. I want to ask, is it worth it to delay Storm research and delay the HTs themselves in order to defend against the mutalisks? Like the first case with the Sairs, isn't it possible for Zerg to just roll the Protoss with Hydras since there is a lack of storm?


Question 2:
If you remember the Chill vs Combat-ex showmatch, in each of the games, Combat-ex gets a large gateway count off of 2 bases. I've been doing a similar thing in my PvZ for a while before that showmatch (Edit: 8 gates though instead of 12). It allows the Protoss to sacrifice some econ in order to get a pretty large army pretty fast. I noticed Stork use something similar in his game against Jaedong on Heartbreak Ridge in WCG Korea. I want to ask your opinion on this "build." When is it most viable and when is it absolutely useless? Is this build pretty much a "semi-all in build" or can it be considered "standard"?

Question 3:
I just thought of this now so I didn't really try it out in an actual game. I remember back in TSL, Nony used to get a quick Dragoon/HT army and attack the Zerg using that. I want to ask, is this viable considering the current trends of ZvP?


Sorry for the number of questions. I just love the MU so much
nicoaldo
Profile Joined March 2009
Argentina939 Posts
November 05 2009 04:24 GMT
#40
12 gates from 2 base like combat-ex did is because he has bad macro, he added like 6-8 gates at once.. so he had at least 1k minerals in the bank and didn´t know what to do with it, u just can´t support 12 gates from 2 bases.
Watch Bisu, he plays from 5 gates zealot-archon and 1 stargate sairs so well, doing that, he can expand very aggresively. That is his style, but hes the best PvZ player ever so..
Prev 1 2 3 Next All
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
Next event in 9h 26m
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft: Brood War
Britney 16284
Artosis 921
NaDa 32
Dota 2
monkeys_forever506
febbydoto9
Counter-Strike
pashabiceps720
minikerr19
Super Smash Bros
AZ_Axe161
Other Games
summit1g6194
Liquid`RaSZi1597
Day[9].tv591
shahzam573
C9.Mang0377
NeuroSwarm74
ViBE53
Mew2King27
JuggernautJason21
Organizations
StarCraft: Brood War
Afreeca ASL 244
[ Show 10 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• mYiSmile131
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• Migwel
StarCraft: Brood War
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
Other Games
• Day9tv591
Upcoming Events
Replay Cast
9h 26m
WardiTV Invitational
11h 26m
Korean StarCraft League
1d 3h
CranKy Ducklings
1d 10h
AI Arena Tournament
1d 17h
GSL
2 days
Yamato Cup
2 days
Replay Cast
3 days
Afreeca Starleague
3 days
Soma vs Jaedong
WardiTV Weekly
3 days
[ Show More ]
Monday Night Weeklies
3 days
Sparkling Tuna Cup
4 days
Afreeca Starleague
4 days
Leta vs Soulkey
PiGosaur Cup
5 days
Kung Fu Cup
5 days
The PondCast
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

Super Anchor Qualifying S3
Blizzard Classic Cup 2026
Big Dog Cup 2026 Div 1

Ongoing

ASL Season 22
CSL 2026 AUTUMN (S22)
Acropolis #5
Acropolis #5 - GSA
Calamity Invitational
Logitech G Play Connect 2026
SL StarSeries Fall 2026
FISSURE Playground #3
BLAST Open Fall 2026
Esports World Cup 2026
BLAST Bounty Summer 2026
BLAST Bounty Summer Qual
Stake Ranked Episode 3
XSE Pro League 2026

Upcoming

Acropolis #5 - GSB
Acropolis #5 - GSC
BSL Season 23
SC4ALL II: Brood War
BSL 23: Non-Korean Championship
HSC XXX
Stellar Fest 2: Lunar Cup
SC4ALL II: StarCraft II
Kung Fu Cup 2026 Grand Finals
RSL Offline Finals
Custodian Cup
Copium Cup
PGL Major Singapore 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 6
BLAST Rivals Fall 2026
IEM Beijing 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 5
PGL Masters Bucharest 2026
1win Private Club #2
Thunderpick World Champ. '26
ESL Pro League Season 24
Stake Ranked Episode 4
1win Private Club #1
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2026 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.